1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method of treating prostatic hyperplasia by using banana flower extract, and more particularly, to a method of treating prostatic hyperplasia and/or ameliorating urinary disturbance by using banana stamen extract.
2. The Prior Arts
Banana is one of main economy crop in Taiwan. Bananas are also rich in vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, potassium and magnesium. Bananas have the terminal spike inflorescence: male flowers are present in the upper part, female flowers towards the base and the neutral flowers are found in the middle between the male and female flowers. The major difference in three types of flowers is the length of ovaries and stamens. Female flower ovary length is around ⅔ of total flower length, and stamens are degrade; neutral flower ovary length is around ½ of total flower length, and stamens are absent; male flower ovary length is around ⅓ of total flower length, and stamens are well-developed. Actually, rare people know that banana flowers exhibit high nutritional value like banana, and only the female flowers will have fruits, the neutral and male flowers will be removed to be fertilizer, which protects the essential nutrients for fruit growing from excessive consumption. Therefore, only the banana farmers or Taiwan indigenous people put banana flowers into dish. It remains to be studied about banana flowers, especially banana stamens.
Prostate is one of the major organs and an exocrine gland of the male reproductive system in mammals. The function of the prostate is to secrete and store prostatic fluid. For human, the size of a prostate in a healthy male is approximately bigger than a walnut, and the prostate is located at the base of the pelvis, below the bladder, upper end of the urethra, behind the pubic bone and in the front of rectum. About 50 percent of men in their 60 s have an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH) as they grow older. Enlargement of the prostate gland result from a proliferation of cells in the central region of the prostate, which contributes to symptoms of compressing the urethra caused urinary obstruction, including frequent urination, decreased urinary flow rates, difficulty urinating and interrupted urine flow and post voiding urinary dribbling, and affects the quality of people's lives. Although there is not yet proof an association between prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer, but for men's healthy, especially among older men, prostate health maintenance should not be ignored.
The present invention is to provide a method of inhibiting the proliferation of prostate cell and synthesizing dihydrotestosterone by using banana flower extract isolated from banana, a common and abundant fruit in Taiwan. The banana flower extract may be safe and no side effects as health food ingredients and pharmaceutical composition to ameliorating the symptoms caused by prostatic hyperplasia.